1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for shutting off a pump from pumping and more particularly pertains to a new pump shut off system for shutting off a pump when there is insufficient fluid to pump through the pump.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of systems for shutting off a pump from pumping is known in the prior art. More specifically, systems for shutting off a pump from pumping heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art systems for shutting off a pump from pumping include U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,198; U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,413; U.S. Pat. No. 2,917,922; U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,763; U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,297; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,962.
While the prior art include pumps that run on timers that turn on the pump regularly, these pumps do not detect whether there is sufficient fluid for the pump to pump. If there is insufficient fluid passing through the pump, the risk of the pump burning out is greatly increased.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new pump shut off system. The inventive device includes a pump with a primary switch for selectively activating and deactivating the pump. A processor is electrically connected to the primary switch. The processor has a timer for measuring a predetermined amount of time. The processor deactivates the pump after the timer measures the predetermined amount of time. The processor also has a flow switch with a flow sensor in an outlet conduit of the pump. The flow switch deactivates the timer to prevent the timer from measuring the predetermined amount of time when the flow switch is activated by the flow sensor when the flow sensor detects fluid flow through the outlet conduit above the predetermined amount of time during the predetermined amount of time.
In these respects, the pump shut off system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of shutting off a pump when there is insufficient fluid to pump through the pump.